Page 63 of Taken By Raider Kings
“Zach.”It was hard to sound firm instead of querulous.“Where is he?”
“In a safe place.”Cullen set the mug down on the nightstand, then flowed to his full height—but slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements.“Where he can’t hurt anyone or himself.”
“Aren’t you going to tell her the rest of it?”Julia didn’t seem even faintly daunted by the big man’s quelling glance.“He can’t shift back.He’s gone into the rage.We have to?—”
“That’s enough.”Cullen actuallyglowered, his forehead wrinkling thunderously.“We have to make sure this shaman doesn’t die of shock and join the earthbound spirits, that’s what we have to do.If you can’t shut your mouth, Carcajou, I’ll?—”
“Leave her alone.”Even to herself Sophie sounded tired.“Where’s Zach?I need to see him.”
“You can’t even stand up,” the bear-man pointed out.“Themajirhave done what they can.You need food, and rest, and?—”
You know, I have had it up toherewith other people running my life.“I want to get cleaned up.”She enunciated each word clearly.“Julia can help me.”
“Right on.I’ll get everything.”The girl settled Sophie against pillows, yanked the quilt up.Then she bolted for the doorway, almost hit the frame, kicked the door itself, and was gone into a white-painted hall outside.
That left Sophie looking up at Cullen, who was even bigger and broader seen from this angle.“Zach.”She moistened her dry lips again, disliking the medicinal taste.Was she going to have to drink more of that crap?“What’s wrong with him?”
“You don’t know anything about Carcajou.”It wasn’t a question.Cullen’s eyes were very blue, and circled with dark rings.“Of all the Tribes, they’re best at killingupir.But that’s not what they’re famous for.”
Sophie waited, wishing she could look at the ceiling instead, or out the window.The pitiless compassion in the bear-man’s gaze was almost too much to stand.
“They don’t stop,” Cullen said quietly.“They never back down once they’ve picked a fight.It gets them killed a lot.All of us have the fury, but they’ve got double, and doused in diesel, too.”He sighed, heavily.“He went after you while we were all still arguing over what to do.Cut a path right through a colony ofupirand took on Armitage’s wife.Turned out she’d been running her own little playground on the side, right under her hubby’s nose.”
Thankfully he turned away then, paced back to the window.Themajirthinned, retreating into insubstantial air.
Delia.Ugh.“How do you know she?—”
“Armitage sent a peace envoy.Turned out we were wrong—he hadn’t offered your ex-husband the Change.His wife did.She was grooming him to be a successor, I’d guess.But that’s not our main problem right now.Zach’s still caught in his Tribe form.He’s turning into an animal, without any human to balance it out.He won’t eat, we have to keep him tranquilized and tied down?—”
“Tieddown?” Her throat, scraped raw by dehydration and whatever they’d dosed her with, could only produce a thin croak.
“Otherwise, he’ll hurt himself.Or someone else.He’s still trying to rescue you.”
Oh, God.Sophie struggled to push herself up on her elbows.Made it, just barely.The unhealthy heat in her bones crested; her stomach revolved.“Are you saying he’s?—”
“That’s enough.”Julia bashed back in through the doorway, her arms full of towels, clothing, and—of all things—a squirt bottle.“Get the fuck out.I’m going to clean our shaman up and she’ll fix Zach, and then we’ll see who does what around here.”She dumped her cargo at the bed’s foot and slapped her hands to her hips, dark eyes flashing.“You can’t have her.She’sourshaman, our alpha rescued her.Go suck on a beehive or something.”
“She can’t even get out of bed.”Cullen sidled for the door anyway, clearly judging this battle not worth continuing.“You lose us this shaman, Carcajou, and your little Family will regret it.”
If they lose me, what happens?Sophie didn’t want to find out.She also didn’t want to be “lost.”It sounded a little more serious than taking the wrong bus, and if the way she felt was any indication, she’d probably been close to taking the wrong bus in a big way.
And never seeing Zach again.
“You know,” Julia said to the air over Cullen’s head, “I’m really not liking this wholeveiled threatthing you’ve got going on.This is our shaman.She’s not going anywhere.”
“That’s right.”Sophie surprised herself; the words sounded steadier, stronger than she thought possible.“And I’d like a little privacy while I get cleaned up, Cullen.Thank you.”
He inclined his head politely and was gone, pulling the door shut with a muffled thump she suspected would have been a rattling bang if not restrained at the very last second.
“Bear Tribe.”Julia snorted.“Always so careful and cautious and stupid and boring.And that one’s got a head made out of concrete.”
You must like him.She didn’t even have the energy to say it, but Julia cocked her head as if Sophie had spoken.
“I’m sorry.You must feel awful, all covered in that crud.I’m going to clean you up, right?Then you’ll fix Zach.Right?”The girl suddenly looked very young, and not at all determined.The pale streak in her hair glittered.
As a matter of fact, with her eyes huge and round and her mouth all but trembling, Julia looked about three years old.
A weight of responsibility settled on Sophie’s aching body.They were depending on her.And she really didn’t even think she could make it to the bathroom without falling down in a heap.
